Whitman softball team helps raise funds for families affected by cancer
Vanessa Ramsaran of Whitman, left, speaks alongside teammate Riley McDonnell during a pregame ceremony at South Huntington Public Library's athletic field honoring the memories of the school's cancer victims on Monday. Credit: James Escher
It was a touching moment for the South Huntington community as the Whitman softball team stood on the third-base line wearing pink and blue ribbons before the Wildcats’ “Strikeout Cancer” fundraiser game Monday at the South Huntington Public Library.
With Patchogue-Medford standing along the first-base line in solidarity, Vanessa Ramsaran, Riley McDonnell and Kaitlyn Magerle took turns delivering a speech honoring Vinny Altebrando and Barbarajean Douglas, teachers in the South Huntington school district who battled with and died from cancer.
Altebrando lost a battle with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in April 2018. Douglas died in January 2022 from breast cancer.
“We just wanted to keep their memories alive,” Whitman coach Ralph Miranda said. “Even though some of these kids never had those teachers or knew them well, we’re just trying to keep it going.”
Miranda graduated from Whitman in 2008 and had Altebrando as his physical education teacher in sixth grade. Ramsaran, a senior, remembers the days after Douglas’ death.
“A few of my friends had her as a teacher and especially the other teachers who knew her were very sad,” Ramsaran said. “A lot of people were touched by it. The whole school had a moment of silence for her.”
She added: “[Altebrando and Douglas] had a huge impact in our community and in our schools. Honoring and remembering them and raising awareness for what they went through is really important.”
Whitman sold raffles, bracelets and other items, with all proceeds going to Maggie’s Mission, a local nonprofit that provides aid to families with a child undergoing cancer treatment. Steve Schmidt, one of the organization’s founders, threw a ceremonial first pitch.
Schmidt’s daughter, Maggie, died in 2017 of malignant rhabdoid tumors, a rare and aggressive cancer. She was 17 years old. Schmidt has taught in the South Huntington school district for 20 years and is a fourth-grade teacher at Maplewood Intermediate School.
“I feel blessed to work for this school district,’’ Schmidt said. “I live in this community and I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with. I’m very grateful for the support of the school and the community. I feel like I have to fulfill her legacy. That’s what my life is about, helping others.”
Ramsaran came up big as Whitman forced a tie at 7 in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Suffolk League I game was suspended because of darkness and is expected to be resumed Tuesday afternoon.
With Whitman (6-7, 6-7) down to its final strike, Ramsaran lined a single to left, driving in Eva Blaney to cut the Wildcats’ deficit to 7-6. Lucy O’Loughlin scored the tying run on an error.
Susan Dominici went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and Isana Alicea went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Patchogue-Medford (9-5, 8-5).
